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Ayla is the name of the main character in the Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean Auel. In the first book, when she's rescued after an earthquake by some Neanderthal people, the Cro-Magnon name she has sounds like Ay-la to them and that's how most people who have come across the name Ayla know to say it.
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Yes, I recall that.
I think the fact that it looks like Kayla is most of what makes Ayla accessible to Americans.
Anyway, Ayla of CotCB / Earth's Children is pronounced to rhyme Kayla.
https://youtu.be/nTR4jQYrmnY?t=48 (Jean Auel talking about Ayla, saying it to rhyme Kayla)
So if people were influenced by that, I think they'd be pronouncing it to rhyme Kayla.
I think people like the sound of the name pronounced either way, because it's a fashionable sound.
I just personally don't understand why so many Americans seem to think Ayla pronounced Isla is intuitive, when only foreign words and names are written Ay- to indicate the initial sound "eye." Unless you count the word "aye." Americans have even respelled Aiden as Ayden ... maybe to make sure nobody says Aiden as eye-den?
I really like a name that sounds like "eye-la" myself, but I'd never use Ayla as the spelling ... because I'm influenced by things like CotCB and Ayden and Kayla, far more than by exposure to foreign languages, and I automatically read Ayla to rhyme Kayla. I like Ayla-prn-"eye-la" alright - as a foreign(ish) name. I know a family whose daughter is Ayla prn eye-la. But I happen to know they have Turkish heritage. If I used that spelling myself, I'd fully expect people to missay it to rhyme Kayla, because that's what I always do. And I'd half-expect people would think I was trying to make it seem "exotic," because my family has no other language or interesting foreign connections.
I think the fact that it looks like Kayla is most of what makes Ayla accessible to Americans.
Anyway, Ayla of CotCB / Earth's Children is pronounced to rhyme Kayla.
https://youtu.be/nTR4jQYrmnY?t=48 (Jean Auel talking about Ayla, saying it to rhyme Kayla)
So if people were influenced by that, I think they'd be pronouncing it to rhyme Kayla.
I think people like the sound of the name pronounced either way, because it's a fashionable sound.
I just personally don't understand why so many Americans seem to think Ayla pronounced Isla is intuitive, when only foreign words and names are written Ay- to indicate the initial sound "eye." Unless you count the word "aye." Americans have even respelled Aiden as Ayden ... maybe to make sure nobody says Aiden as eye-den?
I really like a name that sounds like "eye-la" myself, but I'd never use Ayla as the spelling ... because I'm influenced by things like CotCB and Ayden and Kayla, far more than by exposure to foreign languages, and I automatically read Ayla to rhyme Kayla. I like Ayla-prn-"eye-la" alright - as a foreign(ish) name. I know a family whose daughter is Ayla prn eye-la. But I happen to know they have Turkish heritage. If I used that spelling myself, I'd fully expect people to missay it to rhyme Kayla, because that's what I always do. And I'd half-expect people would think I was trying to make it seem "exotic," because my family has no other language or interesting foreign connections.
This message was edited 9/28/2019, 9:38 PM
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I initially want to pronounce it ae-luh (first syllable rhymes with day), but I think you could pronounce it the same as Isla as well, so I'm curious which way it's said. I think it's pretty. Not quite my style, but it flows in a lovely way.
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Very "Clan of the Cave Bear". It's all right. Not the worst sound, but not the most exciting, either.
This message was edited 9/28/2019, 2:12 PM
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A bit too simple for my taste, but it's quite pretty. Is the first syllable pronounced like AY or IE?
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Ie
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Love it pronounced Eila/Isla ect.
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